


First Impressions

by EverAtYourSide



Series: Promptis Week 2018 [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Ardyn Being Ardyn, Day 2, Implied abuse, M/M, Prince!Prompto, Promptis Week 2018, cause ardyn's a jerk, what else is there to say?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 15:56:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14980520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EverAtYourSide/pseuds/EverAtYourSide
Summary: In a grand gesture of peace, King Regis invites royalty from all across Eos to come together in the Lucian capital of Insomnia to celebrate the 16th birthday of his son, Noctis Lucis Caelum.The only thing more surprising than the King extending an invitation to the infamous Emperor of Niflheim, would have to be when Iedolas accepts; and not only does he accept, but he reveals that he will be bringing along his own son, who's existence had previously been unknown to anyone outside the Empire.Will a chance encounter with the Niff Prince, be enough to change the Lucian Prince's preconceived opinions of Niflheim? Or will it confirm everything Noctis thought he knew about the far away kingdom of snow and ice?





	First Impressions

**Author's Note:**

> Promptis Week 2018 - Day 2: Prince Prompto || ~~high school shenanigans~~  
>  || ~~“I wish that I knew what makes you think I’m so special.”~~  
>  When I saw that one of the prompts for this week involved Prince Prompto, I absolutely KNEW I had to write something cause it's one of my absolute favorite tropes.... and then of course I got kind of carried away with the idea and it ended blowing up quite a bit more than I initially expected, though it was still super fun to write. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! :D

If ever the Crown City of Insomnia had been taken over by a single, simple statement, it was certainly this one. All the papers had published it loud and clear as day on the front page in large, bold letters; while it seemed to be found in a constant loop on just about every news channel.

**_Royal Family of Lucis extends invitation to royal families from all over Eos to mark the celebration and birth of own Crown Prince, Noctis Lucis Caelum to help unite and foster positive relations._ **

Maybe that sentiment on its own seemed all well and good, but it didn’t take long to realize truly what such a declaration entailed.

When it was revealed that _all_ royal families would be extended an invitation, they truly meant _all_ royal families… which included that of Emperor Aldercapt and the rest of the Niflheim royal family.

As if it wasn’t bad enough that Emperor had accepted the Lucian’s invitation, even when just about everyone on Eos was convinced he would decline. There were rumors starting to run wild about how Aldercapt would not be coming alone.

There was talk about how he had sired an heir, whom he had kept out of the public eye for reasons he chose not to foreclose.

The biggest question on everybody’s mind was a simple one. Exactly what would this prince be like? Did he take after his father? Ruthless and cruel, willing to do whatever it took and sacrifice whatever was necessary in order to attain his goals?

However, despite the buzz, not one single person had been able to attain so much as a smudged picture of the young prince, who was supposedly around the age of the Lucians’ own Crown Prince.

It was easily turning into one of the biggest man-hunts the media had kicked off in the entirety of Lucian history.

News stations and papers were offering absolutely obscene amounts of money for even the slightest tips and/or pieces of information that would allow them to be the first to unmask this mysterious prince before he arrived in Insomnia.

Things had gotten to a point where people were starting to become convinced that the whole situation was nothing but a trick, designed to focus the spotlight squarely on Niflheim in an attempt to “humanize” the crass and unpleasant Emperor that he had always shown himself to be.

Today however, that would supposedly all change. The Niflheim party was due to arrive in Insomnia and then _tomorrow_ would be the huge gala to celebrate the Lucian Crown Prince’s birthday.

All attending royals would be expected to attend…. including that of the young prince from Niflheim.

The expectation was that the media would have two brief chances to finally put a face to all of their pre-conceived notions of what they believe the prince to be like.

Only those with the highest clearance would be permitted access to the royal celebration, so most of the media’s hopes were in attempting to catch sight of the boy as he arrived at the Citadel.

The car moved slowly and deliberately as it approached the front steps of the citadel where Cor and a number of Crownsguard soldiers were lined up, ready to welcome the Niflheim party to Insomnia and ensure the safety of their guests as they were escorted into the building where they would be staying for the duration of their visit.

The car finally came to a stop and when the door opened, it was so deathly quiet, that not a single sound was uttered in sheer anticipation.

The first person to emerge was unsurprisingly the ruthless emperor himself, Iedolas Aldercapt; looking as grim and irritated as though something exceedingly unsavory had been forced perpetually under his nose.

Then there was a pause, and moments later two skinny, slender legs started to poke out from within the confines of the car. However, instead of revealing the form of the young man that everyone had been expecting, all eyes were laid on a thin, elegantly designed veil covering the emerging figure from head to toe.

The fabric was just thick enough to almost completely obscure the figure beneath, while letting enough light through so that their view remained largely unobstructed.

It was clear that Iedolas was determined as ever to keep the identity of his young prince hidden until the very moment he felt most appropriate. He was a proud man after all, and notoriously private; and it seemed this specific occasion would be no exception.

After the small veiled figure had fully exited the vehicle, he took a few steps to position himself directly behind the Emperor. He was then followed by a much larger man with striking maroon hair and a steady grin, his face encompassing all the enjoyment and playfulness that the Emperor himself lacked.

The man with the maroon hair, gently closed the door and joined the two other figures who had already exited, wasting no time in placing his arm deliberately around the small, veiled figure as though he intended to act at a secondary shield towards any unwelcome eyes that dare lay on the boy hidden beside him.

The whole event was frankly anticlimactic, as the information that every single person gathered had been so desperate to gleam was dangled in front of them, before just as quickly being pulled right out of reach.

It would seem that the mystery of the young Niflheim prince would remain just that for the time being, a mystery. In fact, the whole incident only seemed to fuel even more questions to come to the forefront of everyone’s mind.

Why were the Niffs so insistent of keeping the identity of their prince concealed? If the Niffs were so intent on keeping the boy a secret, why even bother bringing him all the way to Insomnia? Why come at all?

Whatever the reasons or answers were, it seemed that only time would reveal the answers everyone strived so desperately to uncover.

For all their hurried whispers and furtive glances however, they never would have guessed that the answers they were so desperately looking for would be sitting right under their noses.

* * *

 

Prompto knew this was a bad idea. He knew this little whim of his could and most likely would end up blowing up in his face at any moment… but he there was just something in him, something deep in his gut that beckoned him forward.

He had been given very clear expectations.

And here was Prompto, the Prince of Niflheim, in the midst of breaking ever single rule that had been laid out before him.

If Ardyn found out what he was planning to do, Prompto was certain there would be no saving him; and yet, he couldn’t deny that that something deep inside him, pulling him instinctively towards the open and sprawling city.

This was the first time Prompto ever found himself outside the city limits of his home back in Gralea. In fact, Prompto very rarely ever found himself permitted to leave the walls of the Imperial Palace; and even when he did, he was _always_ under the very watchful eye of his advisor, Ardyn.

But if there was absolutely one thing that he could use to his advantage, it was the fact that his father and Ardyn _had_ done such a job of keeping his face hidden. Which meant there was not a soul in Insomnia apart from previously mentioned that had even a clue what he looked like.

If Prompto had just so happened to secure some clothing that would allow him to blend in with the crowd, he could probably start strutting in the middle of town clucking like a chocobo, and no-one would be any one the wiser.

It all seemed like such a good plan in theory… but Prompto knew that fantasizing about something and actually doing it were two completely different issues.

Back in Gralea, Prompto would never think twice about obeying any and all orders given to him by his father. There were certain things you did, and did not do, and disobeying a direct order from someone like his father was something that had always chilled Prompto to the bone.

And yet, Prompto wasn’t sure if it was the sounds, sights, smells, or even just the energy that filled the Lucian air, but he couldn’t ignore this primal instinct, urging him forward as it let slip all other worries to the back of his mind.

After mulling it over and arguing with himself for what seemed like forever, Prompto knew he would need to make a decision and make it quickly.

He went as far as pulling the casual outfit he managed to keep out of sight of both his father and advisor, before pausing to think about whether or not he was truly prepared to go through with this.

The outfit itself mere consisted of a dark red tank top, a pair of very worn, pale green pants, along with a pair of boots that Prompto had managed to procure thanks to the help of some of the palace workers back in Gralea that would come in and spend time with Prompto in his room during their regular cleaning duties.

He put the strange garments on and when he looked in the mirror, he barely recognized the strange reflection now looking back at him.

After running over and grabbing his camera and making sure to loop the long strap around his neck so that he wouldn’t accidentally forget it, Prompto looked back at his reflection in the mirror one more time, before taking another long, deep breath.

 _You can do it._ He thought to himself. _You **have** to do it… if you don’t do it now, you never will…_ _just act completely natural and no-one will look twice._

Prompto sent up a quick prayer to any of the six that might be listening before quickly pushing open the large doors that connect his suite to the rest of the Citadel.

The entire time Prompto was attempting to navigate through the sprawling hallways of the Citadel, he was utterly terrified that he may have just made the biggest mistake of his life.

By the time he reached the front hall, he came to a dead stop and had to take a moment to gather himself, still seriously considering cutting his adventure short right here and now.

Sure, it would be annoying, boring and frustrating to spend the entire trip cooped up in his guest suite, but at least if he stayed there like he was supposed to, he wouldn’t have to stress himself sick about what might happen if he got caught.

 _No._ A voice finally popped up in his head. _You’ve already gotten this far… you might as well finish what you started. Don’t let this opportunity go to waste._

Prompto usually avoided listening to that voice. It never seemed to get him into anything but trouble.

And yet, there was no denying there was something about Insomnia that seemed to cast away his usual inhibitions. So, with a renewed look of determination on his face, Prompto decidedly forced his legs to move forward, finally taking the last few strides which carried him out into cool and welcoming morning air of Lucis’s Crown City.

* * *

 

Earlier that morning when Prompto had been sitting silently in the car that had been escorting them through the large city, the young prince had wanted nothing more than to glue his face to the window of the car, soaking in all the amazing sights and sounds that the city had to offer.

However, with his father and Ardyn so close, he was forced to keep his face completely neutral, knowing they would find such interest and excitement utterly unbecoming and absolutely unacceptable.

But now…? Now, Prompto was all by himself and was no longer required to hold anything back… so that was exactly what he did. He let all the excitement he had been feeling since they reached the Insomnia border overflow and spread across his body without abandon.

Once Prompto stepped into the limits of the city proper, he was instantly overwhelmed by all the sights, smells, and sounds. There was so much going on, that he wasn’t even quite sure where he should even start looking first.

Everything in Insomnia as far as his eye could see, was breathtaking. The city was so colorful, vibrant and full of bustling life, even as everyone just went about their daily lives.

For someone who had spent most of his life shut away up in one of the larger tower rooms in the Emperor’s palace, Prompto would be lying if he said that the sheer amount of activity and the number of people didn’t make him suddenly start to feel slightly anxious right along with all the boundless excitement coursing through his body.

I mean, sure… there had been a handful of times where he had been permitted to accompany his father or Ardyn into the city limits of Gralea so, it wasn’t like this was his very first time out in public. It just so happened to be his first time out in public while completely on his own.

 _It’s fine, you’ve got this._ That voice was back again, and Prompto wasn’t sure if he was more pleased or worried. _As long as you don’t bother anyone, they won’t bother you…_

The next hour or so was spent wandering wherever his feet took him, taking pictures of anything and everything that caught his eye. He was determined to document as much as he absolutely could from the day, so that he would be able to remind himself of everything he had seen and done even after he returned to Gralea.

After finding a small patch of grass in a nearby park to sit down and savor the feeling of the sun’s warm rays on his skin and the cheerful sounds of life continuing on around him, Prompto let out a deep sigh as he looked at his watch and regrettably realized that he should probably think about heading back.

Prompto hadn’t started to get worried until he had been walking for a good ten minutes or so, and still seemed to be no closer than when he had started. He was almost certain that he had come this way… and yet none of the buildings around him looked even the least bit familiar.

The blonde was almost at a loss as he leaned his back up against the nearest wall, attempting to think of a plan that would result in him back to the Citadel, without having to involve his overbearing advisor.

If he had been paying enough attention to his surroundings as he debated with himself, Prompto probably would have noticed the group of boys across the street watching him.

After a few minutes of watching the blonde continue to scan the surrounding buildings anxiously, the three boys slowly started making their way steadily over towards the frustrated looking blonde.

“Hey blondie…” One of the boys called as they approached the blonde youth, who was instantly ripped away from his thoughts by the unexpected voice, and nearly jumped out of his skin when he realized the voice had in fact, been directed towards him. “I feel like I would recognize a pretty face like yours, you new around here?”

 “Uh-” Prompto stumbled as he attempted to take a few deep breaths and calm his beating heart from the sudden interruption of his thoughts. “Yeah, I guess…?”

“You don’t sound so convinced about that.” The boy chuckled as the other two that were accompanying him started falling over each other laughing ridiculously as the boy speaking came closer and closer to Prompto, even when the blonde backed away attempting to keep his distance.

“You up for some fun?” The much taller boy asked, a large and unsettling grin consuming his face as he managed to swing his arm over Prompto’s shoulder and practically pin the skinny blonde close to his side, despite Prompto’s clear attempts to remove himself.

“I know that my boys and I can certainly show you a good time… you can think of it almost like an official welcome to Insomnia.” The boy taunted as Prompto’s anxiety levels continued to skyrocket.

“N-No… I um… it’s fine… I can, I can manage…” Prompto replied brokenly, attempting and failing to keep himself calm, “T-Thanks for the offer… but-”

“Oh, but I insist…” The boy continued, refusing to back down, “It’s pretty obvious you don’t know your way around and-”

“Hey dude, there you are…!” A second strange voice called out suddenly, cutting off the boy hold Prompto mid-sentence, practically sprinting over.

Prompto was almost certain that his already seriously shitty situation was about to get so much worse, because yes, let’s go ahead and add _another_ friend for this guy to show off in front of.

Prompto was however shocked, when the boy with dark hair came over and started looking at him as he was talking as opposed to the guy holding him.

But- Prompto knew that there was no way that this person could possibly know him…. It was _impossible_ …. but then why…? Why was this other boy making eye contact and talking with him like they knew each other?

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” The boy laughed as he finally shifted his focus to the one holding Prompto. “Hey thanks, man. I swear this guy-” The dark-haired boy motioned at Prompto, “He would lose his way trying to get out of a paper bag. I’ll take him from here though, thanks.”

At first, the dark-haired boy’s tone was light and joking; but as he finished, Prompto noticed the tone become much more serious, as though daring the other to try and question him.

A few moments passed and it seemed as though the other boy’s grip on him only tightened, which had Prompto concerned he wouldn’t let him go, but then, without any warning he was suddenly shoved forward forcing the strange dark-haired teen to catch him before he completely lost his balance and tumbled to the ground.

“Yeah, fine… take him.” The boy uttered reluctantly, continuing to glare daggers as he and his two friends had no choice but to retreat, leaving Prompto in the hands of this newest stranger.

“Uh- thanks for that…” Prompto muttered as he finally managed to get back up on his own two feet.

“Don’t worry about it,” The other boy replied casually, “Those guys are jerks, they never seem to resist the temptation to shake someone down if they think they can get something from it… it’s pretty pathetic if you ask me; but no-matter how many times they’re stopped, they never seem to get the picture. Anyway, the name’s Noctis, nice to meet you.”

“Uh- Prompto…” Prompto replied quietly, deliberately choosing to leave off his last name for quite obvious reasons. “Nice to meet you.”

“So… what _are_ you doing around this part of Insomnia all by yourself?” Noctis asked simply, “I mean, it is pretty obvious you’re not from around here, and we’re pretty far off from all the usual tourist traps around here.”

“Uh- well, nothing really...” Prompto muttered uncommittedly. “I just got here and I’ve never been in such a big city… I just wanted to have a chance to get out and see what its all about, I guess?”

“Huh… well, if you’re not busy… I was just on my way to one of the arcades down the street… you’re welcome to join me… only if you want to, of course.” Noctis quickly added.

For a second, Prompto had to pause and make sure that he had heard the other boy correctly. The rational part of Prompto’s brain urged him to decline and continue his misguided attempts at navigating back towards the Citadel, and yet, the much louder part of his brain that wanted to experience anything and everything he possibly could while he was out here was screaming to accept.

“You really don’t mind if I come with you?” Prompto asked tentatively, almost hoping the other boy would rescind his offer so he wouldn’t be so hopelessly tempted to actually accept it.

“Yeah, course.” Noctis replied. “I usually go by myself, but it’s always more fun when you have other people with you. Gladio’s busy with work stuff today and Iggy has made his opinion about ‘wasting time’ at the arcade very clear. You seem pretty cool, so like, why not, right?”

Welp, Prompto was already pretty much guaranteed at this point to be reamed by his advisor, so what further harm could just a little extra time do?

“Sure. Sounds like a good plan to me.” Prompto grinned, trying to keep the obvious tremor of excitement out of his voice so the other boy wouldn’t notice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It only took a few short minutes for the two boys to walk down the remaining distance to the location of the Arcade that Noctis had mentioned.

Prompto was pretty sure that he felt his jaw drop and hang open as they entered, and the blonde’s eyes darted all over the large space, unable to comprehend how many different types of games were available to play, as each and every square foot of floor was used purposefully to maximize the number of games and machines available for use.

Noctis walked Prompto through the basics of how to actually access the games pretty quickly. You needed to insert a specific game token, which could be attained by trading in money at specific machines found all around the Arcade.

At first, Prompto was disheartened because he had never been trusted to handle his own money, which also meant that he sure as hell didn’t have any to spare now. Not to mention the fact that even if he _had_ money, it would be Niflheim currency, which was all but useless while he was visiting here in Lucis.

Noctis must have come to this same conclusion pretty quickly because before Prompto even had a chance to mention anything of the sort, the raven-haired boy was already pushing a pile of tokens into his idly waiting hands.

It didn’t take but the very first game that they played together than for Noctis to be completely and utterly blown away by Prompto’s complete and utter mastery of all things video-game related.

Prompto was very obviously a natural, and Noctis was nothing short of hella impressed. Seeing how timid and unsure the blonde carried himself, Noctis had been all but convinced that he would be the one explaining and carrying them through each level, but in reality, things were completely flipped the other way around.

“Wow…” Noctis breathed in disbelief as this mysterious blonde boy he just met completely annihilated the high score that he himself had held on this particular shooting game for what had to be about the past month. “That was crazy awesome. I’ve never seen _anyone_ able to do what you just did… are you sure you’re not some kind of unknown pro gamer I’ve somehow never heard about?”

“Is that seriously a thing???” Prompto asked curiously and then after a quick grin and nod from Noctis, he continued. “I freaking wish… but no. I don’t have many opportunities to get out back where I’m from, so I usually spend most of my time sitting in my room playing all different kinds of video games to pass the time.”

“Well, fuck… I’m super jealous. That pretty much sounds like heaven to me…” Noctis moaned, thinking of Ignis and how much his far too up-tight advisor hated it when he attempted to skip out of important royal duties in lieu of spending hours in his apartment binge playing whatever game he was currently obsessed with. “I would love to just sit in my room, lounging around playing video games all day and night…”

“It’s not the worst thing,” Prompto admits, before finishing with a quick, “But the whole novelty of the situation does tend to wear through after a while.”

“I don’t know,” Noctis chuckled, missing the sudden flash of a frown on the blonde’s face. “Still seems like a pretty good deal to me.”

“What other games are there here?” The blonde finally asked, hoping to shift the focus of conversation back to something a bit more up-beat.

“Hmmm...” Noctis hummed excitedly jumping up to face the blonde excitedly, “I think I know just the perfect game for you, follow me…!” He finished as he started dragging Prompto all over and around the Arcade in search of the one specific game he was searching for.

The next hour or so was spent as Noctis continued to drag Prompto around to all of his favorite games with said male watching in awe as Prompto continued to absolutely dominate in every single one.

After playing through just about every machine in the building, the two boys quickly found themselves sitting in the small dining area, set aside for the arcade-goers needing take a break and fuel up on various meals and other snack foods, before heading back into the fray once more.

A brief and easy silence descended between the two as they both started munching on some pizza slices that Noctis had insisted on ordering after swearing he was sure his stomach was going to start eating itself if he didn’t get some food in it ASAP.

Prompto had admittedly been a little hesitant at first, since he wasn’t completely sure how well his stomach would handle such a deviation from his carefully crafted and regimented diet. Although once the steaming and oozing pizza was set in front of them and Prompto managed to get a big whiff of the cooked pepperonis and melted cheese, his carefully constructed resolve was shattered almost instantly.

The moment the hot slice of pizza hit his taste buds, Prompto could have sworn he had gone up and met the astrals themselves. With a quick ‘wow’ of surprise, he almost immediately devoured the slice in his hands, savoring the way all the different seasonings and ingredients melded together in brilliant harmony on his tongue and down his throat.

After Prompto had managed to hungrily consume yet another slice, the two boys were once again swept up in a flurry of discussion when they suddenly realized that both of them were absolutely and utterly obsessed with the Assassin’s Creed Series.

They compared all their biggest likes and dislikes, which games were their favorite and least favorite, which assassin’s they would like to meet if ever given the chance…. you know, all the very crucial video game topics that two high school aged boys would discuss.

They were only drawn out of their intense debate on which templar grand master was the worst of the worst, when the tv show that had been showing on the tv screen nearest them ended and a news program abruptly filled its place.

Most of it was pretty menial stuff, covering different events that were being held around Insomnia in honor of the Crown Prince’s 16th Birthday and such. However, things soon shifted as the screen suddenly started to play a short video clip showing a familiar looking car and three distinct figures walking from said car towards the Citadel…

Prompto nearly froze on the spot as he realized in horror that this must be footage from when he had arrived earlier this morning with Iedolas and Ardyn; and Prompto had never thought he would be so thankful that the Emperor and Ardyn had been so insistent in keeping his identity such a closely guarded secret.

Prompto’s eyes darted from the pizza slice, now all but forgotten on the plate in front of him, up to the tv, and then finally over to Noctis, who was also staring at the footage, his own posture changing dramatically as he looked on at the tv in obvious displeasure.

“The young prince of Niflheim, escorted by his father and advisor, arrived at the Citadel this morning. While thousands gathered in hope to catch a glimpse of the Empire’s heir, it seemed as though his Imperial Majesty insists on keeping the identity of his son a mystery as we march ever steadily closer to the large celebration to be held tomorrow evening in honor of our own Crown Prince’s 16th Birthday.” The reporter read as the recorded clip continued to loop.

Prompto’s attention was torn from the female reporter on the screen, when he heard a sudden and annoyed groan from the raven-haired boy sitting in front of him.

“I still can’t believe that we have to play host to those jerks from Niflheim…” Noctis groaned as he started chewing on the straw for his drink. “Why the heck did they actually even agree to come?? It’s not like they aren’t aware that our two countries have been on the brink of war for years now. Not only that, but they couldn’t possibly be so misguided to think that anyone actually _wants_ them to be here… I mean come on, it’s pretty obvious that the invitation was just for posterity’s sake and not actually meant as a serious request…”

The only thing Prompto could think to do was to nod mutely as Noctis continued his sudden tirade, and taking a quick breathe to remind himself that Noctis had no reason to believe that boy he had been talking to for the past hour was in fact, from the country he so clearly despised.

“Don’t even get me started on that Prince of theirs either….” Noctis groaned, Prompto tensing even more and now seriously starting to consider what his exit options might be. He didn’t want to leave because Prompto had never been able to connect with someone so quickly, and it had been a nice feeling to know that Noctis had _chosen_ to spend time with him, but what if… what if Noctis somehow pieced things together and found out who he really was?

“It’s obvious that Iedolas is just doing this stupid concealing his “son’s” identity bit as a way to unnecessarily stir up the media…” Noctis practically spat, his anger and frustration reaching new heights as Prompto sunk progressively lower and lower in his chair.

“And all the news outlets are eating it up like crazy… I honestly wouldn’t even be surprised if the whole thing was just a complete farce… definitely seems like something that crazy bastard would do.” Noctis stopped his ranting for just long enough to angrily take a large bit out of the slice of pizza on his plate, before quickly finishing, “If that prince is anything like his father, I’m sure he’s going to be completely insufferable. Probably just as cruel and ruthless as dear old dad, so that Niflheim can continue to terrorize the rest of Eos long after Iedolas croaks. I mean, that pretty much seems to be the MO for all the Niffs I’ve ever met.”

Noctis finally looked up from glaring angrily at his plate, and instantly deflated once he saw how drastically Prompto’s own body language had changed, his face a picture of complete shock and surprise.

“Prompto?” he asked. “You okay?”

Luckily, the blonde had enough peace of mind to slowly nod his head, desperately trying to keep down the panic that was rising in his throat.

“Shit, sorry about that,” Noctis admitted as he started scratching his head awkwardly. “Guess I shouldn’t just unload all my personal feelings on someone I just met… I mean, it’s not like any of this is your fault… my bad.”

Prompto probably would have laughed right out loud right then and there if his entire body didn’t feel like one huge ball of tension and anxiety and he might completely fall apart if he did so.

Should he try to play it off? Should he just make a run for it? There was a part of Prompto that knew that the smartest thing would probably be to part ways with the raven-haired boy in front of him before he had a chance to figure out his secret; but then there was another part of Prompto that would give anything to stay in this moment for as long as humanly possible.

Over the past hour or so, Prompto had had more fun and felt more alive spending time with Noctis than in the whole almost sixteen years that he had lived through back in the Emperor’s palace in Gralea.

All of those thoughts of ‘what if this’ or ‘what if that’ were swimming around Prompto’s brain; that is, until he happened to glance down at his watch and realized what time it was, and precisely how much time had passed since he had met up with Noctis and they had come into the arcade.

 _Shit, shit shit…_ Prompto thought frantically, practically jumping up out of his chair. _I’m dead… I’m so dead._ He had _definitely_ been away from the Citadel for far too long now, and it was only a matter of time before someone wandered into his room to find it short one Niflheim Prince.

“You okay, dude?” Noctis asked, worried by the blonde sudden frantic movement.

“Y-Yeah… sorry.” Prompto mumbled quietly. “This was really fun, but I just realized I’m super late, and I gotta-”

“Where you heading?” Noctis asked helpfully. “I don’t mind pointing you in the right direction, if you want.”

“Oh- right…” Prompto replied, suddenly memories of wandering aimlessly before as he had been attempting to find his way back to the Citadel earlier. “Uh… I have a uhm- meeting… at the Citadel…” He mumbled softly. He knew it was a risk asking something so pointedly, but Prompto honestly just didn’t have time to try and figure out another plan right now.

“Oh?” Noctis perked up, raising one eyebrow in interest.

“Y-Yeah…. It’s uhm- it’s uh pretty-”

“I’m actually on my way there myself, so I don’t mind walking over there with you to make sure you don’t get lost again.” Noctis grinned as he took one last gulp of his drink before gathering all his trash together and walking a few steps over to the nearby garbage can to throw out his leftover trash. “I’m afraid I can only take you as far as the outer gate, but hopefully you can figure the rest on your own?”

Prompto couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief at this coincidence, because this way he wouldn’t have to come up with some stupid excuse for why he would need to ditch Noctis once they got there.

“Yeah, that would actually be pretty great, actually. Thanks.” Prompto smiled softly as he followed Noctis’s lead and deposited his plate and cup into the same trash can before walking back over the raven-haired boy.

There was a part of Prompto that still desperately wished that they would be able to do this again, but it was quite likely that once the two of them spilt, they would never see each other again.

 _It was nice though._ Prompto thought as both he and Noctis started walking briskly towards the entrance to the arcade. _For even a short while… to pretend having someone he could almost count as a friend._

* * *

 

Prompto had no idea how he had done it, but somehow through the divine grace of the astrals above, after he said good-bye to Noctis at the front gate of the Citadel, he had somehow managed to waltz right back into his room the very same way he had walked out earlier that morning.

He was about to sprint back into the bathroom to change back into his royal robes, when suddenly he heard the door slam behind him and jumped a good foot off the floor, whipping his head around praying it wasn’t the one person he knew it would be.

“And where, pray tell, have you been all day, my dear little prince?” Ardyn asked, his voice silky soft, and yet Prompto knew the emotions hidden beneath the larger male’s carefully constructed mask.

“I’ve been absolutely worried sick,” Ardyn continued waving his arms about in mock concern, “Here I’ve been convinced you had been kidnapped, or that you could have hurt yourself…. but no… imagine my surprise when I find that my darling, but naive ward is just out and about, walking around recklessly like some two-bit tourist…” the man continued clicking his tongue in obvious disappointment, “Now what would your father say if he found out that his only son had disobeyed his most stringent rule-”

“No…!” Prompto yelled, pleading with his voice, his eyes, and the expression of out-right horror now frozen in fear on his face. “Ardyn… please! You _can’t_ tell him! Please… I swear, I wasn’t- it was just…”

“You know I only do what I do to protect you,” Ardyn continued to drawl as he swept into the room so that he was standing mere inches from the frozen form of the young, now very clearly trembling blonde, holding firmly onto the back of the boy’s neck, pulling harshly on his hair as he forced Prompto to look him in the eyes and trapped both of the terrified prince’s hands within his one free hand. “You were made well aware of the rules laid out to you before we left Gralea, as well as the consequences. Maybe you should have thought of those consequences a bit more carefully before you decided to disobey them so blatantly.”

“No… wait, please… Ardyn- you can’t-” Prompto begged desperately as tears started to build in the corners of his eyes.

“You’ve been such a bad and defiant child today, Prompto.” Ardyn continued on, practically feeding on and gleefully consuming the fear and terror that was radiating from the squirming boy in his grasp. “What kind of advisor would that make me if I allowed you to get away with such shameful behavior…?”

“I-I’ll do anything Ardyn… I’ll gladly t-take any punishment you give me… just _please-_ you can’t tell my father.” Prompto stuttered, his stomach already twisting and feeling as though it were eating itself at the mere thought of his father finding out that he had disobeyed his most rudimentary rule. There would be absolutely no saving himself if that happened. Not even Ardyn would be able to quell the rage and fire that would consume the Emperor.

There was a reason that no-one had been able to connect a particular face to the Niflheim heir… Iedolas very simply didn’t want to be stuck with one specific likeness.

If no-one knew what the prince looked like, then it would be almost effortless to have said prince be replaced if needed, without anyone outside the palace being any the wiser.

Simply put, Prompto was 100% expendable, regardless of any other outside circumstances.

If Iedolas found he was no longer worth the trouble, if he believed for even a moment that Prompto would be disloyal in any way shape or form, then he would simply disappear and another faceless candidate would take his place… one more suitable to carrying out the Emperor’s will than he.

Ardyn smiled malevolently as he gazed down upon the boy struggling within his grasp, like a predator sizing up his prey. “Do be careful what you wish for, my dear boy. We don’t want you making any promises that you don’t intend to keep.”

“I-I…. I swear I will… just please don’t… don’t tell him… please…” Prompto practically whispered, his body completely slumped and limp against his advisor’s overpowering and unyielding grasp.

“Hmm…” Ardyn hummed as he started thinking. “I suppose I could keep this little unscheduled venture between us… for now at least.”

The moment Prompto heard those words, he nearly wept, mostly in relief, though he knew that his victory would be short lived. Ardyn never did do anything out of the kindness of his heart.

There was always something in it for him and Prompto couldn’t help but shiver thinking about what kind of punishment the older man would have in store for him this time. He just hoped that whatever it was, it wouldn’t be bad enough to make him miss the celebration for the Lucian prince tomorrow. He wasn’t going to go through all of this shit with Ardyn, just to get in trouble with the Emperor for not being able to participate and represent Niflheim tomorrow evening.

He could do this… no, he _had_ to do this.

“Come my dove,” Ardyn sang as he spun Prompto around so that he back was pressed up against Ardyn’s front. “We must make sure you have learned your lesson once and for all.”

* * *

 

“Do I really have to play nice with the Niffs tonight?” Noctis asked and he and Ignis stood together near the center of the Grand Hall where the celebration was being held, as they had a brief break from greeting all of the party’s important guests. “Why can’t they just stay in their rooms? It’s not like it’s a secret that Lucis and Niflheim don’t exactly get along.”

“They are our _guests_ , highness.” Ignis replied plainly. “You are expected to show them the same respect that you would show anyone else at this party.”

“But Iggy….” Noctis moaned.

“No buts,” Ignis came back sternly. “Now, I do believe that the prince from Niflheim should be arriving very shortly, accompanied by his keeper, a Mr. Ardyn Izunia.”

“The party’s been going for like a whole hour…” Noctis breathed exasperatedly as his shoulders slumped briefly. “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised that the Niffs would push the whole ‘fashionably late’ thing to a whole new level…”

“I believe the delay was due to the prince feeling a bit under the weather. Though Mr. Izunia assured us that they were on their way- oh, speak of the devil, there they are now.” Ignis explained, before finishing with a quick, “Please do your best to behave…”

“I will if he does.” Noctis whispered back, as he was ready to plaster on his fake princely smile that he always wore whenever carrying out royal duties that he was not particularly fond of. However, as the two bodies slowly got closer and closer, Noctis couldn’t help but notice that the boy slowly walking towards them looked awfully familiar.

“What a marvelous evening this is…!” The older man exclaimed as the young boy he was with continued to stare silently at the floor in front of him. “His Majesty, King Regis, certainly knows how to thrown the grandest of celebrations, and we are thoroughly and truly honored to be able to take part in such a tremendous occasion…!”

“Thank you very much for your kind words, Mr. Izunia.” Ignis replied, bowing graciously as he did so.

“Oh please, there’s no need for such formalities with me, Mr. Scientia…” Ardyn bowed deeply back. “Feel free to just call me Ardyn. I am but a humble servant to the House of Aldercapt.” There was a grin and a glint in the man’s eye that Noctis instantly disliked, but he knew that he had to remain cordial with this man as one of the ‘hosts’ of the evening, so despite his better judgement, he attempted to push those feelings to the side.

“Ah yes… and speaking of which,” Ardyn continued as he motioned largely with his hands and pushed the young boy beside him forward, causing the other to stumble slightly before attempting to steady himself and slowly bringing his gaze up to meet that of the Lucians before them, “I have the utmost pleasure of introducing you to our own beloved Emperor’s son, Prince Prompto Aldercapt. I do apologize for our tardiness… as I mentioned earlier, our poor prince’s health can be quite delicate at times and today was not one of our best days, unfortunately.”

As soon as both Prince’s managed to lock gazes, they were both left staring at each other with shocked, almost baffled expressions.

Once Ardyn had introduced his young charge, that seemed to be the key which pushed Noctis to remember why exactly the blonde male in front of him looked so familiar.

He has been about to say something when he noticed the same shock of recognition in the other’s face, but Noctis couldn’t help but notice the shock replaced moments later by a flash of genuine fear and dread.

There was no way it was all just a coincidence… this blonde-haired teen was _definitely_ the same one that Noctis had met outside the arcade, just yesterday. And yet, he was definitely very different from how Noctis had remembered him when they had parted at the main citadel gate.

The blonde he had met outside the arcade had certainly been shy, but also happy and easily excitable; but the boy he found in front of him now? This boy was incredibly pale, even more so than the last time he had seen them. He looked timid and almost fearful of all the other people walking and socializing around them. Ardyn had mentioned that he had some prevalent health issues, but it honestly looked like the boy in front of him was about ready to pass out at any moment.

Prompto was wearing quite the intricate ensemble and Noctis couldn’t help but think that the fabric he was wearing looked very warm and almost… heavy? Which would probably go quite a way to explain why it looked as though the boy was ready to crumble beneath its weight. It was clearly an outfit suited towards much colder climates, like those found practically year-round in Gralea as opposed to the relatively warm climate found here in Insomnia.

Noctis was trying to figure out why the blonde looked as though he was ready to take of at any moment, absolutely refusing to look him in the eye when he had a second sudden realization, almost instantly remembering the news program and his resulting outburst… about none other than the Niflheim Prince… about Prompto… and right to Prompto’s face no less.

_Fuck. I am so stupid. Fuck. Astrals, way to fucking go, Noct…. how the hell was I supposed to know that Prompto was the Niff prince that everyone in Lucis was losing their minds over…? Shit. Prompto probably looks ready to bolt cause of all the horrible shit I said about him while we were hanging out at the Arcade yesterday._

Noctis had been about to open his mouth to apologize profusely, when Prompto finally managed to look him in the eye and ever so slightly shook his head. Noctis looked over at the imposing figure that was nearly attached to the young blonde and realized that if he wanted to have any kind of a serious talk with the blonde, he would need to find a way to get him alone, away from the wandering eyes (and ears) of his advisor.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Prince Prompto.” Noctis said as he extended his arm for the other to shake. “Noctis Lucis Caelum, Crown Prince of Lucis.”

“G-Good to meet you…” Prompto muttered softly as he returned the gesture.

“Ardyn, I hope you don’t mind if I steal Prince Prompto for a quick moment,” Noctis added quickly as he grabbed onto the blonde’s arm and started tugging it in his direction, and away from the older man. “There is something I wish to show him.”

“Of course, your highness… but I’m afraid that the emperor has asked me to keep watch over our dear Prince to make sure that he does not become too ill to partake in tonight’s festivities-”

“We’re won’t leave the room,” Noctis reassured the older man, while also sending a quick look of help over in Ignis’s direction, hoping he would understand. “There’s just something I would like to show him that I feel as a fellow prince, he would certainly be able to appreciate it.”

“I don’t mind accompanying-”

“I was actually hoping that I could pick your brain for a few moments about some Niflheim customs that I have read about recently,” The astute Lucian advisor chimed in without hesitation and Noctis had never been so happy to have Ignis in his life to back him up without a moment’s notice.

“Surely, we can give our princes a few minutes to better acquaint themselves with each other, while we discuss such matters?” Ignis asked as he waved Noctis on and the young Lucian prince grabbed Prompto by the wrist, who jumped slightly, but otherwise let himself be dragged off by the other without much resistance.

Once the two had gotten far enough away from their advisors and they arrived at the large decorative table at the back of the room where Noctis and his father would be sitting during dinner, Noctis turned to Prompto, his face a mix of so many different emotions.

“I’m sorry.” Noctis couldn’t help but blurt out once they finally sat down.

“You’re what-”

“I never would have said all those things, if I had known… I swear.” Noctis apologized, his head bowed in penance.

“It’s okay, Noctis I-” Prompto finally muttered quietly.

“Noct.” Noctis cut in. “My friends call me Noct.”

The raven-haired prince would have given anything to know what thoughts were going through the other’s mind, but he was almost certain that he saw the smallest hint of a grin play upon the other boy’s lips.

“W-Wait-” Prompto stuttered quickly, his head reeling just a bit at what Noct had just said. “You still want to be friends?” He asked, his face lighting up in genuine curiosity and surprise for the first time Noct had seen him tonight.

“Well, yeah… if that’s okay with you.”

“Even if it’s with someone as completely insufferable, as the Prince of Niflheim...?” Prompto added, a gentle smirk settling on his face.

“I said I was sorry about that, didn’t I?” Noctis proceeded to whine, pouting as Prompto couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

After a few moments of silence, Prompto finally uttered a confused, “So uh, was there something you actually wanted to show me or-”

“Are you okay?” Noctis suddenly blurted out once more, causing Prompto to jump back slightly.

“Y-Yeah… I’m fine.” Prompto came back almost to forcefully. “It’s just like Ardyn said… my health… it’s pretty unpredictable, and I’ve just been f-feeling under the weather today, I guess…”

“You seemed perfectly fine yesterday-”

“It’s complicated-”

“Did he hurt you?”

“It doesn’t matter.” Prompto replied quickly.

“He’s supposed to be your advisor, isn’t he??” Noctis came back again, completely baffled as to why the blonde was defending him.

“There’s nothing you can do, Noct.” Prompto insisted, frowning. “This has nothing to do with you or your kingdom. If you really want to help me, you need to trust that I can deal with this by myself.”

“I can’t accept that-”

“You have to.”

“There has to be something that I can do to help-” Noctis muttered sadly.

“You have,” Prompto replied with a small smile. “More than you know. I’ll never forget how much fun I had playing games, talking about video games and just feeling like a normal person yesterday even if it was only for a short time.”

“Why are you talking like we’re never going to see each other again?” Noctis asked skeptically. “It’s not like we won’t be able to talk at all when you go back to Niflheim… You guys still have phones in Niflheim don’t you? I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to always get back to you right away, but if you ever need someone to talk to, just shoot me a text or give me a call, okay?”

“I uh-” Prompto muttered nervously, “Well, yeah. Niflheim has phones… but I… well, I don’t.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“My uh- father and Ardyn are really strict about controlling who exactly I have contact with outside of the palace, so they only allow technology that they have explicit control over to make sure that I’m not swayed by biased information and all that jazz…” Prompto admitted sadly. “So, I appreciate the thought, but like I said, you might as well just forget about me after tonight.”

Noctis stood there for a moment as the gears in his mind started working overtime. There _had_ to be some way that he could stay in touch with Prompto, even after he left Lucis in the coming days. Noct at least felt like he owed the blonde enough to figure out a way to make sure Prompto wouldn’t have to spend the rest of his life in complete and utter isolation.

“Wait-” Noctis exclaimed as his hand shot up into the air, “I got it… don’t move, I’ll be right back!!”

Before Prompto even had a chance to say anything, Noctis had taken off and disappeared from his sight completely. By the time he returned a good five or so minutes later, the other prince was almost completely out of breath.

“You okay dude?” Prompto asked as Noct attempted to catch his breath, while fishing around for something inside his suit jacket pocket before revealing something that looked like a red leather-bound journal.

“Here…” Noctis breathed heavily as he held out the journal towards Prompto. “Take this… with you when you go…. My friend Luna gave it to me. She told me that I could use it… if I ever wanted to stay in contact with someone… but I hadn’t really found a use for it… until now.”

“I still don’t understand… how are we are going communicate with a notebook if I’m taking it with me?” Prompto asked. “It’s not like I can send it back to you… my father would make sure it never left the palace.”

“You can write stuff in it or send photos or really whatever you want and Luna’s dog, Umbra, will come get it from you and bring it to me. And before you ask, Umbra’s a pretty special dog, so don’t worry about him traveling between Niflheim and Lucis.” Noctis laughed, seeing the questions sprouting in the blonde’s mind before he had a chance to ask it. “This way, we can still stay in contact and your father and smarmy advisor won’t have a clue.”

“Wow Noct, you’re definitely a stubborn one, aren’t you?” Prompto couldn’t help but laugh, because if he didn’t laugh, he was pretty sure that he would start crying right on the spot. There was absolutely no reason that Noct should be putting so much effort into helping him.

In fact, Noct had made it quite clear earlier exactly how he felt about people from Niflheim; and yet despite all of that, he was still determined to do what he could to make sure that Prompto would never have to be completely and utterly alone ever again.

“Thanks, Noct.” Prompto smiled. “This means more than you’ll ever know.” He finished as the blonde managed to find a safe place to hide the journal in his ceremonial Niflheim robes.

“You better write in that and send it frequently,” Noct winked as he once again extended his arm out to the blonde standing before him. “Otherwise, I might have to send Umbra to remind you every once in a while.”

Prompto couldn’t help but laugh, smiling as he took Noct’s hand and allowed the other to lead him off to who knew where.

“Well, this is a party in my honor is it not? Let’s go have some fun.” Noctis grinned as he pulled Prompto over towards where everyone was dancing on the dance floor.

“But Ardyn-”

“Don’t worry, Iggy’s taking care of him.”

There was a pause before Prompto suddenly spoke up, “Noct?”

“Yeah?”

“If I’m going to promise to write in the notebook, can you make me a promise too…?” Prompto asked nervously.

“Yeah, whatever you need.”

“Promise me, we’ll meet again someday?”

“What kind of question is that?” Noctis asked quickly. “Of course we will.”

Prompto couldn’t help but smile at the casual confidence in Noct’s voice and only wished he could be as optimistic as the boy before him. Even though Prompto knew that there were no guarantees, just hearing those words roll off Noct’s lips made him feel like maybe, just maybe, those words would hold true after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading!
> 
> Comments are always appreciated. :)
> 
> Come hang with me on tumblr? ^-^ [ever-at-your-side-15](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/ever-at-your-side-15)


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